Sports Med 2009; 39 (9): 765-777

0112-1642/09/0009-0765/$49.95/0

REVIEW ARTICLE

2009 Adis Data Information BV. All rights reserved.

Rest Interval between Sets in

Strength Training
Belmiro Freitas de Salles,1,2 Roberto Simao,2 Fabrcio Miranda,2 Jefferson da Silva Novaes,2
Adriana Lemos2 and Jeffrey M. Willardson3
1 Laboratory for Clinical and Experimental Research in Vascular Biology (BioVasc), Biomedical Center,
State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2 School of Physical Education and Sports, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
3 Kinesiology and Sports Studies Department, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, Illinois, USA

Contents
Abstract. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1. Literature Search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. Acute Responses and the Rest Interval between Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.1 Influence of Rest Interval Length on Repetition Performance Over Multiple Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.2 Influence of Rest Interval Length on Repeated Maximal Strength Assessments . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.3 Influence of Rest Interval Length on Acute Expression of Muscular Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.4 Influence of Rest Interval Length on Acute Hormonal Responses and their Influence
on Muscular Hypertrophy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. Chronic Adaptations and the Rest Interval between Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.1 Influence of Rest Interval Length on Muscular Strength and Power Adaptations . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.2 Influence of Rest Interval Length on Muscular Endurance Adaptations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5. Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Abstract

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Strength training has become one of the most popular physical activities
for increasing characteristics such as absolute muscular strength, endurance,
hypertrophy and muscular power. For efficient, safe and effective training, it
is of utmost importance to understand the interaction among training variables, which might include the intensity, number of sets, rest interval between
sets, exercise modality and velocity of muscle action. Research has indicated
that the rest interval between sets is an important variable that affects both
acute responses and chronic adaptations to resistance exercise programmes.
The purpose of this review is to analyse and discuss the rest interval between
sets for targeting specific training outcomes (e.g. absolute muscular strength,
endurance, hypertrophy and muscular power). The Scielo, Science Citation
Index, National Library of Medicine, MEDLINE, Scopus, Sport Discus and
CINAHL databases were used to locate previous original scientific investigations. The 35 studies reviewed examined both acute responses and chronic
adaptations, with rest interval length as the experimental variable. In terms of
acute responses, a key finding was that when training with loads between 50%
and 90% of one repetition maximum, 35 minutes rest between sets allowed

De Salles et al.

766

for greater repetitions over multiple sets. Furthermore, in terms of chronic

adaptations, resting 35 minutes between sets produced greater increases in
absolute strength, due to higher intensities and volumes of training. Similarly,
higher levels of muscular power were demonstrated over multiple sets with 3
or 5 minutes versus 1 minute of rest between sets. Conversely, some experiments have demonstrated that when testing maximal strength, 1-minute rest
intervals might be sufficient between repeated attempts; however, from a
psychological and physiological standpoint, the inclusion of 3- to 5-minute
rest intervals might be safer and more reliable. When the training goal is
muscular hypertrophy, the combination of moderate-intensity sets with short
rest intervals of 3060 seconds might be most effective due to greater acute
levels of growth hormone during such workouts. Finally, the research on rest
interval length in relation to chronic muscular endurance adaptations is less
clear. Training with short rest intervals (e.g. 20 seconds to 1 minute) resulted
in higher repetition velocities during repeated submaximal muscle actions and
also greater total torque during a high-intensity cycle test. Both of these
findings indirectly demonstrated the benefits of utilizing short rest intervals
for gains in muscular endurance. In summary, the rest interval between sets
is an important variable that should receive more attention in resistance
exercise prescription. When prescribed appropriately with other important
prescriptive variables (i.e. volume and intensity), the amount of rest between
sets can influence the efficiency, safety and ultimate effectiveness of a strength
training programme.

Strength training has been heavily studied

during the last 50 years, and is now an integral
component of a well-rounded exercise programme. Strength training has been shown to
contribute to improvements in sports performance, as well as treatment and prophylaxis of
some illnesses.[1,2] Studies have focused on manipulation of the different variables involved in
resistance exercise prescription to gain a better
understanding of how to best achieve different
muscular characteristics. Strength training has
been proven to stimulate chronic adaptations
within the muscles that lead to increases in
strength, hypertrophy, muscular endurance and
power.
According to the American College of Sports
Medicine,[1,2] the main methodological variables
of prescription are the intensity, number of sets
and repetitions (i.e. volume), rest interval between sets, order of exercises, movement velocity
and training frequency. Among such variables,
the rest interval between sets has received little
attention, relative to other prescriptive variables
2009 Adis Data Information BV. All rights reserved.

such as intensity and volume. The existing

research has demonstrated that different rest
intervals between sets can produce differing acute
responses and chronic adaptations in the neuromuscular and endocrine systems.[3-15]
The rest interval between sets is commonly
prescribed based on the training goal (e.g.
strength, power, muscular hypertrophy and endurance).[1,16] However, there are still conflicting
findings in the literature, which often makes the
identification of the appropriate rest interval
difficult. Therefore, the purpose of this review is
to analyse and discuss the rest interval between
sets for targeting specific training outcomes (i.e.
absolute strength, muscular endurance, hypertrophy and power).
1. Literature Search
The Scielo, Science Citation Index, National
Library of Medicine, MEDLINE, Scopus, Sport
Discus and CINAHL databases were used
to locate previous literature original scientific
Sports Med 2009; 39 (9)

Rest between Sets

investigations. The studies reviewed examined

both acute responses and chronic adaptations,
with rest interval length as the experimental
variable. The search utilized the following keywords: rest interval, rest period, recovery,
recovery time and fatigue, combined with the
keywords training volume, repetitions, sets,
resistance training, resistance exercise and
strength training. The names of authors cited in
some studies were also utilized. Hand searches of
relevant journals and reference lists obtained
from articles were also conducted in the Federal
University of Rio de Janeiro and State University
of Rio de Janeiro libraries. Such combinations
resulted in the inclusion of 35 original research
articles addressing the rest interval between sets
in strength training. The last search was performed on 17 July 2009.
Criteria for inclusion were as follows:
1. Only studies from journals with an impact
factor 1.0. We included this impact factor
because the median impact factor for journals in
sport science is 1.0, which is similar to that of
many other biomedical disciplines. Those with an
impact factor <1.0 are considered low-impact
journals by the Sports Science Organization.[17]
2. Studies must have examined the effects of
the rest interval as the experimental variable
on performance, strength, power, hypertrophy
and/or muscular endurance.
2. Acute Responses and the
Rest Interval between Sets
2.1 Influence of Rest Interval Length on
Repetition Performance Over Multiple Sets

Several studies have demonstrated that the

execution of a single set becomes less effective for
trained people versus performing multiple
sets;[18,19] however, the rest interval between sets
may determine the effectiveness of performing
a multiple set programme. Although recommendations concerning rest intervals between
multiple sets are based on training goals such as
strength, power, hypertrophy and muscular
endurance, the achievement of these goals may
depend on the ability to maintain the number of
2009 Adis Data Information BV. All rights reserved.

767

repetitions within a prescribed zone over consecutive sets.[16]

With regard to the maintenance of repetitions over consecutive sets, some authors demonstrated that resting less than 3 minutes can
result in a significant decrease in repetitions (see
table I). Kraemer[20] tested the effects of 1- and
3-minute rest intervals on the total number of
repetitions completed in three consecutive sets
with a 10 repetition maximum (RM) load on the
bench press and leg press exercises. Twenty
American football players who had participated
in resistance exercise for two consecutive years
participated in the study. The findings indicated
that resting 3 minutes between sets was sufficient
to allow for completion of 10 repetitions on each
set. However, resting 1 minute between sets
resulted in a significant decrease in the total
repetitions completed.
Conversely, Richmond and Godard[21] found
that for 12RM loads, 3- and 5-minute rest intervals were not sufficient to maintain repetitions
over two consecutive sets. In this experiment, 3and 5-minute rest intervals allowed for completion of approximately 8 and 10 repetitions on the
second set, respectively.
Such results were in conflict with the results
reported by Kraemer,[20] in which 3 minutes allowed for consistent repetitions. This discrepancy
between studies might be due to the samples utilized; for example, highly trained athletes in the
study by Kraemer[20] versus healthy recreationally trained men in the study by Richmond
and Godard.[21] Therefore, practitioners must
consider the training status of individuals when
prescribing the rest interval between sets. For
untrained individuals, 5 minutes rest between
sets might be necessary if the goal is consistency
in repetitions over high-intensity sets.
Corroborating with Richmond and Godard,[21]
Willardson and Burkett[22,23] demonstrated that
3- and 5-minute rest intervals were not sufficient
to maintain consistent repetitions in recreationally trained men who had performed approximately three strength workouts per week during
the previous 3 years. For example, Willardson
and Burkett[22] compared three different rest intervals on the number of repetitions completed
Sports Med 2009; 39 (9)

De Salles et al.

768

Table I. Acute effect of different rest intervals between sets over the number of repetitions maximum (RM). Values are expressed as RM
Study

Load

Exercises and intervals

Kraemer[20]

10RM

Bench press + leg press

Richmond and Godard[21]

Willardson and Burkett[22]

75% 1RM

8RM

Set 1

Set 2

1 min

10

3 min

10

10

Set 3

Set 4

Set 5

7.1
10

Bench press
1 min

11.9

3 min

11.5

6
8

5 min

11.5

10

Bench press
1 min

7.4

4.4

2.8

2.4

2 min

7.7

5.7

4.2

3.9

5 min

7.6

6.5

6.0

5.6

1 min

7.8

5.9

4.4

4.2

3 min

8.0

6.6

6.0

4.8

5 min

8.0

7.8

7.0

6.0

Squat

Willardson and Burkett[23]

80% 1RM
50% 1RM

Willardson and Burkett[24]

15RM

Bench press
1 min 80%

9.3

3.3

2.0

1.6

1.6

1 min 50%

29.8

10.0

7.0

6.1

6.0

2 min 80%

9.1

5.1

3.3

2.8

2.5

2 min 50%

29.9

14.8

11.1

9.7

9.1

3 min 80%

9.1

5.9

4.6

3.8

3.5

3 min 50%

30.4

18.2

14.0

12.6

12.2

Bench press
30 sec

14.9

4.9

2.4

1.8

1.5

1 min

14.6

5.9

3.6

3.3

2.8

2 min

14.6

8.6

5.6

5.3

4.9

Squat
30 sec

15.6

10.1

6.8

5.9

5.4

1 min

15.4

10.6

8.4

6.2

6.3

2 min

15.4

12.5

10.6

9.4

8.6

for the squat and bench press exercises. Three

test sessions were conducted, during which four
sets of the squat and bench press were performed with a constant 8RM load and 1, 2 or 5 minutes
rest between sets. For each exercise, a significant
decline occurred in the number of repetitions completed between the first and the fourth
sets; however, for a given rest interval there
were greater total repetitions performed for the
squat versus the bench press. This finding suggests that the muscles of the lower body possessed
greater endurance characteristics versus the
2009 Adis Data Information BV. All rights reserved.

muscles of the upper body. These results indicated

that the specific combination of muscles involved
affects the prescription of the rest interval;
therefore, practitioners may prescribe longer rest
intervals for compound upper body exercises
(e.g. bench press) and shorter rest intervals for
compound lower body exercises (e.g. barbell back
squat).
Willardson and Burkett[24] also compared
30-second and 1- and 2-minute rest intervals on
the number of repetitions completed for the squat
and bench press over five sets with a constant
Sports Med 2009; 39 (9)

Rest between Sets

15RM load. Significant declines in the number of

repetitions occurred between the first and the
fifth sets, irrespective of the rest interval. For
both exercises, the 2-minute rest interval resulted
in significantly greater repetitions versus the
30-second rest interval. These results suggest
that when short rest intervals are utilized to
develop muscular endurance, the intensity
(i.e. load) may need to be progressively lowered
over subsequent sets to sustain repetitions within
the range conducive to this training goal. Future
research should establish the extent to which
the resistance should be lowered between sets
in order to sustain repetitions for muscular endurance training.
A limitation of the aforementioned studies was
the evaluation of only one or two exercises; only
one study to date has examined the influence of
different rest intervals in the context of a typical
training session that involves multiple exercises.
Miranda et al.[25] compared the effects of 1- versus
3-minute rest intervals between sets on the number
of repetitions completed for each exercise during
an upper body workout. Fourteen recreationally
trained men with a minimum of 2 years and a
mean of 6.34 years of experience performed two
training sessions; both sessions consisted of three
sets with 8RM loads for six upper extremity exercises (e.g. wide grip lat pull-down, close-up grip
pull-down, machine seated row, barbell row lying
onto bench, dumbbell seated arm curl and machine seated arm curl).
Miranda et al.[25] demonstrated that for all
exercises significantly fewer repetitions were completed when resting 1 minute between sets. However, significant reductions were noted between the
first and third sets in four of the six exercises, irrespective of the rest interval. These results suggest
that when training for muscular strength, resting
for 3 minutes might be advantageous to accumulate a higher training volume while also maintaining the intensity of the load lifted. It is
important to emphasize that for any intensity or
objective in strength training, the rest interval
length may vary when sets are not performed to
concentric failure, according to the exercises used
and/or practitioners level of conditioning. Additionally, recent studies demonstrated that prac 2009 Adis Data Information BV. All rights reserved.

769

titioners should also consider age and sex when

prescribing rest intervals between sets.[26,27]
2.2 Influence of Rest Interval Length on
Repeated Maximal Strength Assessments

The rest interval between sets when testing

maximal strength is crucial because the reliability
of testing may depend on the ability to recover.
Contrary to what has been practiced in most experiments (i.e. utilizing longer rest intervals between sets when testing for maximal strength),
some studies have demonstrated that 1-minute
rest intervals were sufficient between repeated
1RM attempts.[28,29] Weir et al.[28] examined the
effect of rest interval length on repeated 1RM
bench press performance. On the first day of
testing, the 1RM load was determined for 16 recreationally trained men with a minimum of
2 years of bench press experience who could
bench press at least 125% of their bodyweight.
Four subsequent test sessions involved the performance of two 1RM attempts, separated by 1,
3, 5 or 10 minutes rest. The results demonstrated
that all of the rest intervals tested allowed for
approximately the same number of subjects to
successfully complete the second attempt.
Similarly, Matuszak et al.[29] compared the effects of different rest intervals in 17 recreationally
trained men with a minimum of 2 years of squat
experience who could back squat at least 1.5 times
their bodyweight. Three subsequent test sessions
involved the performance of two 1RM attempts,
separated by 1, 3 or 5 minutes rest. The results
demonstrated that for the 1-minute rest condition,
75% of the subjects completed the second attempt
successfully, with 94.1% and 88.2% successful
completions for the 3- and 5-minute rest conditions, respectively. The results of these studies indicate that in some cases 1-minute rest intervals
might be sufficient; however, from a psychological
and physiological standpoint, the inclusion of 3- to
5-minute rest intervals might be safer and more
reliable. In short, testing for maximal strength is a
process that should not be rushed, especially when
testing compound exercises like the back squat and
bench press, which require high levels of neuromuscular coordination.
Sports Med 2009; 39 (9)

De Salles et al.

770

2.3 Influence of Rest Interval Length on

Acute Expression of Muscular Power

Power performance is highly dependent on

anaerobic energy metabolism (primarily the
phosphagen system). The rest interval between
sets when training for muscular power should
closely match the time required for replenishment
of phosphocreatine (PCr), which requires a
minimum of 4 minutes recovery.[30] If the rest
interval is not sufficient to allow for replenishment of PCr, energy production shifts to emphasize the glycolytic system. This results in the
accumulation of H+ ions and disturbances in
the concentration gradients of other ions (i.e.
Na+, K+, Ca2+ Mg2+, Cl-), resulting in a lowered
intracellular pH. At low pH values, both the peak
isometric force and the maximal velocity of
shortening are substantially depressed.[7]
Abdessemed et al.[31] examined the effect of
recovery duration on muscular power and blood
lactate concentration during the performance of
ten sets of six maximal effort bench press repetitions performed at 70% of 1RM and with 1, 3 or
5 minutes rest between sets in ten untrained men.
Measurements of force and displacement of the
bar and mean power during each repetition were
calculated. Blood lactate was evaluated before
and immediately after each interval. No significant variation in mean power occurred between
the first and the tenth sets when resting 3 or
5 minutes betweens sets; lactate did not increase
significantly from baseline with either of these
rest conditions. Conversely, the 1-minute rest
condition resulted in a significant decrease in
mean power and a significant elevation in blood
lactate.
These results suggest that the 1-minute rest
condition was not sufficient to replenish PCr,
which placed greater emphasis on glycolytic
energy production, as demonstrated by the significant elevation in blood lactate.[31] Therefore,
resting 35 minutes between sets may allow for
maintenance of force and power production
over multiple sets and repetitions. However,
longitudinal research is necessary to determine
whether greater acute power during individual
workouts would translate into performance gains
2009 Adis Data Information BV. All rights reserved.

in activities that require high power output, such

as the vertical jump.
2.4 Influence of Rest Interval Length on
Acute Hormonal Responses and their
Influence on Muscular Hypertrophy

The maintenance of training intensity is not

the main focus in strength training directed toward muscular hypertrophy, and research suggests that successive sets should be performed
prior to full recovery. Several cross-sectional
studies suggest that short periods (1 minute)
might provide a superior stimulus for hypertrophy due to the acute elevations in growth
hormone.[3-5,10,31-32]
Kraemer et al.[4] compared the acute hormonal
responses to different resistance exercise protocols.
Nine recreational trained young men (not competitive lifters) performed a protocol that involved
three sets of eight exercises with a 10RM load and a
1-minute interval between sets, and another protocol that involved five sets of five exercises with a
5RM load and a 3-minute rest interval between
sets. Blood hormonal concentrations of total testosterone, free testosterone, cortisol, growth hormone and blood lactate were collected prior to the
exercise session and at 0, 5, 15, 30, 60, 90 and 120
minutes following the session. The results indicated
that acute elevations in growth hormone were significantly greater for the protocol that involved
1-minute rest intervals and 10RM loads. However,
a limitation of this study was that changes in muscular hypertrophy were not examined over time.
The studies by Kraemer et al.[4] in young men
and women[5] indicated that shorter rest intervals
(i.e. 1 vs 3 minutes) were associated with greater
acute elevations in growth hormone. However,
they also observed higher values for corticotropin
and cortisol, which have antagonistic effects to
growth hormone in terms of the catabolic effects
on skeletal muscle. Therefore, the acute elevations in growth hormone may not reflect the
long-term potential for muscular hypertrophy.
Goto et al.[10] conducted a study that examined both acute responses and chronic adaptations to hypertrophy- and strength-oriented
programmes. All the subjects were recreationally
Sports Med 2009; 39 (9)

Rest between Sets

771

trained, but they had not participated in a regular

training programme for at least 6 months prior to
commencement of the study. Acute elevations
in growth hormone were measured in response
to three leg extension workouts, which included:
(i) moderate intensity (nine sets of approximately
10RM, with 30-second rest intervals and intensity
reduction as the sets progressed); (ii) high intensity (five sets at 90% of 1RM and 3-minute
rest intervals); or (iii) combined (high-intensity
plus one low-intensity set after 30 seconds). Acute
elevations in growth hormone post-exercise
were significantly different between protocols,
in the following order: moderate intensity >
combined > high intensity. In addition, after
4 weeks of training, the combined programme
demonstrated significantly larger increases versus
the high-intensity programme in quadriceps
cross-sectional area, 1RM leg press, maximal isokinetic strength and muscular endurance for the leg
extension.
Conversely, Ahtiainen et al.[11] indicated that
hormonal responses and hypertrophic adaptations
did not vary with 2- or 5-minute rest intervals in
13 recreationally trained men (with an experience
of 6.6 2.8 years of continuous strength training).
This experiment involved a crossover design so
that two groups trained for 3 months with each
rest condition. The maximal strength of the leg

extensors and the quadriceps cross-sectional area

were assessed before and after completion of each
condition. Other variables that were assessed
included electromyographic activity of leg extensor
muscles, concentrations of total testosterone, free
testosterone, cortisol, growth hormone and blood
lactate.
The results demonstrated that, for both conditions, acute responses and chronic adaptations
were similar in terms of the hormonal concentrations, strength development and increases
in quadriceps cross-sectional area. A key finding
by Ahtiainen et al.[11] was that the 5-minute rest
interval allowed for the maintenance of a higher
training intensity (approximately 15% higher);
however, the volume of training was equalized so
that the 2-minute condition required more sets
at a lower intensity, while the 5-minute condition
required less sets at a higher intensity. Thus, the
strength and hormonal responses appeared to
be somewhat independent of training intensity as
long as an equal volume was performed. Buresh
et al.[33] also compared the chronic effects of different interset rest intervals after 10 weeks of
strength training. Twelve untrained males were
assigned to strength training programmes using
either 1- or 2.5-minute rest between sets, with a
load that elicited failure only on the third set of
each exercise. Measures of body composition,

Table II. Acute effects of different rest intervals on serum levels of growth hormone (GH)
Study

Training

Intervals

Measurements

Results

Kraemer et al.[4]

Session 1: three sets of 10RM with

1-min interval in eight exercises;
session 2: five sets of 5RM with
3-min interval in five exercises

1 and
3 min

Serum GH before
the session and at 0,
5, 15, 30, 60, 90 and
120 min after

GH concentrations were significantly higher

for the protocol using 1-min intervals for all
the measurements used

Goto et al.[10]

Session 1: nine sets of 10RM with

30-sec interval; session 2: five sets
at 90% of 1RM and 3-min intervals;
session 3: five sets at 90% of 1RM
and 3-min intervals + one set of
10RM after 30 sec

30 sec
and
3 min

Serum GH before
the session and at 5,
15, 30 and 60 min
after

The increased GH levels post-exercise

were shown to be significantly dependent
on the protocols in the following order:
session 1 > session 3 > session 2

Ahtiainen et al.[11]

Five sets in leg press at

approximately 10RM

2 and
5 min

Serum GH before
and immediately
after

Both protocols resulted in acute increases

in serum GH concentrations, without any
difference between intervals

Bottaro et al.[12]

Three sets of 10RM in four

exercises for lower limbs

30, 60
and
120 sec

Serum GH before
the session and at 0,
5, 15 and 30 min
after

All protocols led to acute increases in

GH concentrations after each training
session, while GH concentration was higher
for 30 sec compared with other intervals

RM = repetition maximum.

2009 Adis Data Information BV. All rights reserved.

Sports Med 2009; 39 (9)

772

hormone response, thigh and arm indirectly

cross-sectional area, and 5RM loads on squat
and bench press were assessed before and after a
10-week programme. The results showed that
10 weeks of both strength training programmes
resulted in similar significant increases in 5RM
squat and bench press strength, thigh and arm
cross-sectional area, and lean mass. However,
1-minute rest elicits a greater hormonal response
than 2.5-minute rest intervals in the first training
weeks, but these differences disappear after 10
weeks of training. These results also suggest that
hormonal response may not necessarily be predictive of hypertrophic gains after a 10-week
training programme performed by untrained
healthy males.
Recently, Bottaro et al.[12] examined the acute
hormonal responses to three different rest intervals between sets for strength training sessions
that involved lower body exercises. Twelve
recreationally trained women completed three
sessions of strength training with either 30, 60 or
120 seconds between sets. The sessions consisted
of three sets of four exercises (e.g. knee extension,
hack squat, knee flexion and leg press), performed to concentric failure with 10RM loads.
Growth hormone and cortisol concentrations
were measured prior to exercise, immediately
following each session and 5, 15 and 30 minutes
following the session.
Following the sessions, significantly greater
elevations of growth hormone were demonstrated
for the 30-second rest condition.[12] Contrary to
previous studies, cortisol was not significantly
different between rest conditions.[4,5] Thus, the
combination of moderate-intensity sets with very
short rest intervals seemed to be most effective for
acute elevations in growth hormone (see table II).
However, more research is needed examining the
hypertrophic adaptations consequent to such
training prescriptions.
One must take into consideration that the
number of motor units increases with the increasing load. Although a 10RM load appears to
be ideal, this represents a relatively low intensity,
and in several studies the load was lowered progressively over consecutive sets. In such cases,
there may not be adequate stimulation to higher
2009 Adis Data Information BV. All rights reserved.

De Salles et al.

threshold muscle fibres capable of the greatest increases in hypertrophy. There might be
higher acute elevations in growth hormone with
30 seconds to 1 minutes rest between sets, but this
represents one variant that may or may not be
associated with long-term increases in muscular
hypertrophy. Other anabolic hormones such as
testosterone and insulin-like growth factor-I are
not elevated with short rest intervals between sets,
possibly due to the influence of acidity and heat
shock proteins. Therefore, there is still much
research to be done examining how the rest interval
should be structured to promote muscular hypertrophy on a long-term basis.
3. Chronic Adaptations and the
Rest Interval between Sets
3.1 Influence of Rest Interval Length on
Muscular Strength and Power Adaptations

For programmes targeting absolute strength

and power development, the American College of
Sports Medicine[1,2] recommended 2- to 3-minute
rest intervals between sets when performing
multi-joint exercises and 1- to 2-minute rest intervals between sets for single-joint exercises.
Longer rest intervals may allow for maximal
voluntary activation of motor units and maintenance of training intensity. These recommendations were validated by Pincivero et al.[8]
for isokinetic-type training. Fifteen untrained
men were divided into group 1 (40 seconds) and
group 2 (160 seconds). One leg of each subject
was assigned to a 4-week, 3-days-per-week isokinetic protocol that involved concentric knee
extension and flexion muscle actions performed
at 90/sec. Changes in quadricep and hamstring
function were evaluated with five repetitions
performed at 60/sec and 30 repetitions performed at 180/sec. The 160-second rest group
demonstrated significantly greater increases in
peak torque, average power and total work at
180/sec.
Robinson et al.[6] demonstrated findings that
were consistent with Pincivero et al.[8] for free
weight training. In this study, the effects of
three different intervals (3 minutes, 90 seconds and
Sports Med 2009; 39 (9)

Rest between Sets

773

Table III. Chronic effects of different rest intervals on strength gains and muscular power
Study

Duration
(wk)

Training

Intervals
(sec)

Measurements

Results

Pincivero et al.[8]

Isokinetic
training of
the knee at
90/sec, 3 wk

Group 1: 40;
group 2: 160

Isokinetic strength, peak torque,

power and total work at 60/sec
with 5 rep and also at 180/sec
with 30 rep

Group 2 showed greater peak

torque, maximum power and total
work than their contralateral limb
and group 1

Pincivero and
Campy[9]

Isokinetic
training of
the knee at
180/sec,
2 wk

Group 1: 40;
group 2: 160

Isokinetic strength, torque peak,

power and total work of the
quadriceps at 180/sec in 30
contractions

Group 2 showed greater strength

and peak torque; no changes were
observed in group 1 and control

Robinson et al.[6]

Isotonic
training of
lower limbs,
4 wk

Group 1: 180;
group 2: 90;
group 3: 30

Vertical jump power and 1RM in

squat

Group 1 showed greater 1RM

values, while no influence was
observed in power

rep = repetitions; RM = repetition maximum.

30 seconds) were compared on vertical jump power

and maximum strength. Thirty-three moderately
trained college-age men performed a free weight
training programme 4 days per week for 5 weeks.
The group that rested 3 minutes between sets
demonstrated significantly greater increases in
maximal squat strength versus the 90-second and
30-second rest groups; however, none of the
groups demonstrated significant improvements
in vertical jump power.
Willardson and Burkett[15] compared squat
strength gains and volume components with
2 minutes versus 4 minutes rest between sets over
13 weeks. After the first squat 1RM assessment,
15 recreationally trained men were divided into
group 1 (2 minutes) and group 2 (4 minutes).
Each group performed the same training programme, with the only difference being the length
of the rest interval between sets. Subjects performed two squat workouts per week. The squat
workouts varied in the intensity, number of sets
and repetitions performed per set in a nonlinear
periodized manner. Differences in strength gains
and volume components (load utilized per set,
repetitions performed per set, intensity per set
and volume performed per workout) were compared between groups.
The key finding was that during the entire
training period, group 2 (4 minutes) demonstrated significantly higher total volumes during the high-intensity workouts.[15] However, the
2009 Adis Data Information BV. All rights reserved.

groups were not significantly different in squat

strength gains. These findings suggest that there
was a threshold in terms of the volume necessary
to gain a certain amount of strength. Resting
2 minutes between sets resulted in sufficient volume to achieve the same strength gains as resting
4 minutes between sets. Therefore, athletes attempting to achieve specific volume goals may
need longer rest intervals initially but may later
adapt, so that shorter rest intervals can be utilized
without excessive fatigue, leaving additional time
to focus on other conditioning priorities.
The findings of these studies suggest that longer
rest intervals (i.e. 23 minutes) result in significantly greater increases in strength compared
with shorter rest intervals (i.e. 3090 seconds)
[table III]. Longer rest intervals allow for higher
intensities and volumes of training. Furthermore,
the evidence also indicates that excessively long rest
intervals (i.e. 4 minutes) are not necessary, and may
detract from other conditioning priorities.[6,8,15]
However, the few longitudinal studies conducted
on different rest interval lengths have focused solely on lower body strength and did not examine
the full spectrum of rest intervals (i.e. from short to
long to very long) within the same study. Therefore, more research is necessary to ascertain the
effects of different rest interval lengths on upper
body exercises, and the influence of very dissimilar
rest interval lengths (i.e. 1- vs 5-minute rest) on
strength development.
Sports Med 2009; 39 (9)

De Salles et al.

774

Table IV. Chronic effects of different rest intervals on muscular endurance

Study

Duration
(wk)

Training

Intervals

Measurements

Results

Garca-Lopez et al.[41]

Three sets to
concentric failure at
6075% of MVC in the
machine seated arm
curl exercise, 2 wk

Group 1: 1
min; group
2: 4 min

Number of RM and average

velocity of performance in
moderate intensity (60% of
MVC) before and after the
training period

The average velocity presented

by group 1 in post-training was
higher than the corresponding
average velocity in pre-training
conditions, while no significant
difference was observed in
group 2 and in the control group

Hill-Haas et al.[14]

Two to five sets of

1520RM in 11 whole
body exercises, 2 wk

Group 1:
20 sec;
group 2:
80 sec

Strength for 3RM in leg press,

total torque in cycle ergometer
during five maximum sprints,
with 6 sec duration and 30 sec
intervals, before and after each
training period

Strength for 3RM was greater in

group 2 (45.9%) compared with
group 1 (19.6%); total torque
during the test was higher in
group 1 (12.5%) compared with
group 2 (5.4%)

EMG = electromyography activity; MVC = maximal voluntary contraction; RM = repetition maximum.

3.2 Influence of Rest Interval Length on

Muscular Endurance Adaptations

Local muscular endurance can be defined as

the capacity to sustain submaximal muscle actions
for an extended period of time. In strength training, where the goal is the development of muscular
endurance, the typical recommendation has
been to utilize relatively low-intensity resistance
combined with high repetitions and very short rest
intervals between sets.[34-36] As a result of the use
of low intensities, the prescription of short rest intervals has been theorized to allow for sufficient
recovery betweens sets; however, the ability to recover may depend on whether sets are being
performed to the point of voluntary exhaustion.[24,37-40] Muscular endurance training has been
thought to stimulate increases in mitochondria and
capillary density, allowing for submaximal muscle
actions to continue because of greater reliance on
oxidative metabolism.[3,34,36]
Ratamess et al.[13] examined the effects of different rest intervals on the intensity, volume and
metabolic responses to the bench press exercise.
Eight trained men (minimum 3 years of experience
with the bench press exercise) performed ten randomized protocols (five bench press sets at 75% or
85% of 1RM for ten repetitions and five repetitions, respectively, using different intervals between sets [30 seconds, 1, 2, 3, 5 minutes]). The
oxygen consumption was measured during exercise
2009 Adis Data Information BV. All rights reserved.

and for 30 minutes thereafter. For the 30-second

and 1-minute rest intervals, 1555% reductions in
intensity and volume were observed (sets 5 < 4 < 3 <
2 < 1). For the 2-minute rest interval, the performance was maintained during the first two sets, but
declined 829% during the third, fourth and fifth
sets. For the 3-minute rest interval, a volume reduction was noted for the fourth and fifth sets
(approximately 21% lower than the first, second
and third sets). At 5 minutes, a reduction was observed only for the fifth set. Overall, the greatest
reductions in performance occurred with very
short rest intervals (<1 minute) and performance
was maintained during the first 34 sets when 3- to
5-minute rest intervals were utilized.
The mean oxygen consumption and ventilation
progressively increased as the rest interval decreased. As could be expected, the mean oxygen
consumption was higher when ten repetitions versus five repetitions were performed, irrespective of
the intensity level. Following each bench press
workout, oxygen consumption, ventilation and respiratory exchange ratio were still elevated at
30 minutes. These data demonstrate that rest interval length of 1 minute leads to a more continuous
elevation in oxygen consumption, which could have
potential ramifications for training programmes
targeting muscular endurance or aerobic fitness.
Garc a-Lopez et al.[41] examined the effects of
different rest intervals over 5 weeks on muscular
endurance performance and mean repetition
Sports Med 2009; 39 (9)

Rest between Sets

velocity during a moderate-intensity set of elbow

flexion contractions (60% maximal voluntary contraction [MVC]). Twenty-one untrained subjects
were divided into three groups: group 1 (1 minute),
group 2 (4 minutes) and a control group. Groups 1
and 2 performed three sets to concentric failure in
the seated arm-curl machine, 2 days a week, for
5 weeks, with moderate loads (6075% MVC).
Group 2 demonstrated a significantly higher total
training volume than group 1 following the intervention. However, both training groups demonstrated similar gains in muscular endurance
performance, with an increased repetitions performance with the pre-training 60% MVC. The mean
repetition velocity demonstrated by group 1 following training at 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80% and
90% of the total number of repetitions completed
was significantly higher than the corresponding
mean repetition velocity prior to training, while no
significant difference was observed for group 2 or
in the control group. Coaches can apply this finding when training athletes for sports such as soccer
and basketball, which require repeated submaximal muscle actions while maintaining high
velocities of movement.
Hill-Haas et al.[14] also examined muscular
endurance-related performance adaptations resulting from different rest intervals during strength
training. Eighteen active women, who had not undertaken strength training for a least 1 year, were
divided into group 1 (20 seconds) and group 2
(80 seconds). The intensity and volume were equated between groups; each group trained 3 days per
week for 5 weeks, performing 25 sets of 1520RM
for 11 exercises encompassing the entire body.
Subjects in each group were evaluated for 3RM
leg press strength, total torque in cycle ergometer
during the performance of five maximum sprints of
6 seconds duration and 30-second rest intervals
between sprints, and anthropometric measures.
The results demonstrated that the percentage increase in 3RM leg press strength was significantly
higher in group 2 (80 seconds; 45.9%) versus group
1 (20 seconds; 19.6%). Conversely, the total torque
during the cycle ergometer test was significantly
higher in group 1 (20 seconds; 12.5%) versus group
2 (80 seconds; 5.4%); no change was observed in
skinfold (% fat) and circumference measures.
2009 Adis Data Information BV. All rights reserved.

775

These results show that despite a smaller increase

in strength, extremely short intervals may allow for
greater maintenance of relative force levels. This
study demonstrates that high repetition can
improve repeated-sprint ability in untrained recreationally active team-sport players, and that this
improvement is greater when there is a shorter rest
interval between sets, with training load and volume matched.
In summary, shorter intervals between sets
(i.e. <1 minute) benefit performance variables related to localized muscular endurance (table IV)
and aerobic endurance development due to greater
oxygen consumption.[13] However, the utilization
of extremely short rest intervals may not allow for
the maintenance of repetitions per set, even when
utilizing relatively low-intensity loads. Therefore,
when utilizing extremely short rest intervals
(i.e. <1 minute), the load should be reduced as
needed over consecutive sets to maintain repetitions
within the range conducive to this training goal.[24]
4. Conclusions
When training for muscular strength with loads
smaller than 90% of 1RM (up to 50%) for multiple
sets, 3- to 5-minute rest intervals are necessary to
maintain the number of repetitions performed per
set within the prescribed zone without great reductions in training intensity. On the other hand,
contrary to what was observed in most of the
experiments concerning muscular strength, some
evidence suggests that 1-minute intervals allowed
for sufficient recovery during repeated 1RM attempts; however, from a psychological and physiological standpoint, the inclusion of 3- to 5-minute
rest intervals might be safer and more reliable. The
acute expression of muscular power was best
maintained when including 3- or 5-minute rest intervals versus 1-minute rest intervals between sets.
When the training goal is muscular hypertrophy,
the combination of moderate-intensity sets with
short intervals of 3060 seconds might be the best
alternative, due to higher acute increases of growth
hormone, which can contribute to the hypertrophic effect. Finally, similar to hypertrophy
training, extremely short intervals (e.g. 20 seconds
to a minute) between sets allowed for greater
Sports Med 2009; 39 (9)

De Salles et al.

776

muscular endurance development. In the case of

muscular endurance training, a progressive reduction of training intensity during the performance of
consecutive sets may be a way to maintain the
number of repetitions within the prescribed zone.
It is worth noting that, for any intensity or goal in
strength training, the rest interval between sets may
vary between practitioners of different ages, when
the sets are not performed to concentric failure,
according to the exercise and/or according to the
athletes level of conditioning.

5. Recommendations
There is a scarcity of studies concerning chronic
adaptations and rest interval length. This review
should provide some direction for future studies
investigating aspects related to strength, power,
hypertrophy and muscular endurance development. Additional investigations concerning acute
responses are also necessary, involving women or
individuals with different levels of physical conditioning, and potential interactions between the
order of exercises and rest interval length. Furthermore, comparison between different rest intervals for exercises that involve relatively large
versus small muscle groups would be useful from a
practical standpoint. Overall, there is still much
research to be done on this topic.
Acknowledgements
Dr Roberto Simao would like to thank the Brazilian
National Board for Scientific and Technological Development
(CNPq) and Research and Development Foundation of Rio de
Janeiro State (FAPERJ) for the research grant support.
The authors have no conflicts of interest that are directly
relevant to the content of this review.

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Correspondence: Roberto Simao, PhD, School of Physical

Education and Sports, Rio de Janeiro Federal University,
Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, Cidade Universitaria, Rio de
Janeiro 21941-590, Brazil.
E-mail: robertosimao@ufrj.br

Sports Med 2009; 39 (9)